Obama: U.S. Military In Chad To Aid Search For Missing Schoolgirls : The Two-WayThe president tells Congress that 80 U.S. armed forces personnel have been deployed to the central African nation to help locate the nearly 300 girls kidnapped last month in Nigeria.

Obama: U.S. Military In Chad To Aid Search For Missing Schoolgirls

A woman makes a speech during a rally earlier this week in Chibok, Nigeria, calling on the government to rescue the kidnapped schoolgirls.
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A woman makes a speech during a rally earlier this week in Chibok, Nigeria, calling on the government to rescue the kidnapped schoolgirls.

Sunday Alamba/AP

President Obama on Wednesday informed House Speaker John Boehner that 80 U.S. military personnel had been sent to the central African nation of Chad as part of efforts to help locate nearly 300 schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamist militants in Nigeria last month.

Chad borders Nigeria, where members of Boko Haram abducted the girls from the city of Chibok in April.

"These personnel will support the operation of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area," the president said in the letter to Boehner.

"The force will remain in Chad until its support in resolving the kidnapping situation is no longer required," he said.

NPR's Tom Bowman says that most of the 80 are U.S. Air Force personnel charged with operating Predator surveillance drones.

The Associated Press says dozens of the girls and young women have escaped from captivity, but 276 are still held.

Boko Haram has threatened on video to sell most of them into slavery if the government does not release detained militants, the AP says.

The government of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan came under intense criticism for its initial response to the kidnappings. Since then, the international community has pledged its assistance, the news agency says.